January in Review

Literature inhaled:Upstairs at the Party – Linda Grant – pretty good but nothing compared to…Euphoria – Lily King – the last few paragraphs broke my heart.The Paying Guests – Sarah Waters – as audio book, compelling listeningThe Beautiful Wreck – Larissa Brown – still reading it, still loving it. I might have to buy a print copy to keep forever. Is it possible that I have fallen in love with Old Norse?History of the Rain – Niall Williams – started today, un-put-downable, laugh-out-loud funny and yet sad because of the circumstances of its bedridden narrator.

First Neon Monkey sock

Music adored:July Talk, playing it on a loop at my desk and in the car. I am obsessed.

Coffee bought in shops or cafes:ZERO!!!! That means I am £2.50 x 20 working days = £50 better off than usual – woo hoo!

Puerperium cardigan for work colleague’s sprog

Unethical Clothes bought:3 pairs of trousers from MangoUnethical Clothes sent back: 3 pairs of trousers from Mango (clownishly big in two sizes)Outcome: a complaint to Mango about their shockingly poor customer service. The free returns label sends your goods to a 3rd party shipping company in the UK which then batches up parcels and sends them on to Spain. This can take 3 weeks. If your refund does not come through, you have to contact the shipping company with your Royal Mail reference and ask them for a copy of their shipping label for you to fax (FAX!) to Mango! This is inefficient at best, and the potential for fraud is enormous. None of this is explained on their website.Refunds received: 1 so far (it took 3 weeks). 2 still waiting.

It probably serves me right for breaking my pledge not to shop with unethical retailers.Not to shop full stop.However….

Ethical Clothes Bought:One absolutely wonderful wool / cashmere big baggy sweater / dress made in a small workshop in Portugal for Beaumont Organic, purchased from Gather and See in their sale at a massively reduced price. I am almost afraid to put it on because I don’t think I will ever take it off again. You’ll see it in action soon, I promise!

Ethical sweater :)

Yarn bought:None. But lots of knitting progress made, as the pictures show.

Fabric bought:None. Just as well, as I haven’t done any sewing yet this year. It can’t be long now. I am going slightly nuts wearing the same things all the time and I don’t seem to have the skillz or patience to buy regular clothes.

Myeloma update:In the words of the Consultant, FL’s latest Freelite result is “Not perfect, but controlled”. Hmm.He has had new pain in his ribs, but it is under control. The Consultant prescribed Pomalidomide again – how much longer will he get away with this? Pomalidomide is our only hope, but we know those Freelite numbers are critical and the Consultant’s evasive answer concerns me.Keep on taking the tablets.